Worker dons bear suit — one last time — to see off rescued California bear cub

Miami Herald

17-06-2025

A rescued bear cub is headed to a new home after weeks of care at a California rescue in an effort to give him 'the best shot at a wild future.'
After learning Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue was caring for two orphaned bear cubs, staffers with San Diego Humane Society had 'no doubt' that their 'bear cub should join them,' the nonprofit said in a June 17 Facebook post.
The cub made his way to the Northern California rescue last week thanks to Flying Tails, which provided a free flight, the San Diego nonprofit said.
'Saying goodbye is never easy — especially when our Project Wildlife team has poured their hearts into giving an animal a second chance,' the nonprofit said. 'But these goodbyes are also the very reason we do what we do.'
Campers find bear
Campers visiting Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County stumbled upon the lone cub on April 12, the nonprofit said in a May 14 news release.
Initially, biologists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife tried 'to reunite the cub with his mother by returning him to the wild overnight, but she did not return,' according to the nonprofit.
With no signs of the mother bear around, wildlife officials brought the cub to the nonprofit's Ramona Wildlife Center two days after he was found, the nonprofit said.
'Very unusual case'
When the bear arrived at the center, he was 'underweight and alone,' the nonprofit said.
After staff provided the cub with diligent nonstop care for 30 days, the 2-month-old bear was considered 'stable, playful and thriving,' the nonprofit said.
'This is a very unusual case,' Autumn Welch, the nonprofit's wildlife operations manager, said in the release. 'We don't often see bears this young without their mother. It's an honor to care for him, but it's also a significant commitment.'
The nonprofit said raising a bear so young required 'an extraordinary amount of time, expertise and resources.'
Each day, the cub received 'four enrichment and feeding sessions,' the nonprofit said.
For the enrichment sessions, the nonprofit said staff mimicked 'maternal behaviors (to) help prepare the cub for life in the wild.'
A video shared by the nonprofit on Facebook shows a staff member donning a bear suit, interacting with the cub.
The cub plays with a stuffed bear, pawing and biting its ear as he rolls about the fuzzy-covered floor.
'A big and exciting milestone'
At the time of his rescue, the nonprofit said it hoped to return the bear to the wild, and his new home with other cubs offers the best hope.
'Growing up together will give these cubs the chance to learn from one another and develop critical natural behaviors they'll need to thrive in the wild,' the nonprofit said. 'And that's our most important goal of all: to see these bears go home.'
A video shared by the nonprofit shows a staff member dressing up in a bear suit — one last time.
The bear approaches the worker, playfully pawing.
The worker guides the cub to a crate while holding some food in a bowl before closing the crate's door.
Then, staff members carry the crate onto a truck, the video shows.
During the ride, the bear peers through a hole in the crate and sniffs about.
The crew then carries the crate toward an awaiting plane, which flies off into the distance.
'While we'll miss him (and the bear-suit feedings!), this is a big and exciting milestone,' the nonprofit said. 'Socializing with other cubs helps prevent human imprinting and keeps them wild — all part of preparing him for release.'